ABSTRACT
Traditionally, archaeology of the ancient Western world is done by classicists and is termed classical archaeology. Biblical archaeology investigates the Judeo-Christian scriptures as historical texts and is done by Biblical archaeologists. Those who identify themselves as "historical archaeologists" usually define their discipline differently, with a focus on the modern world. In this case, the boundaries are determined by the globalizing effect of European exploration and colonization. The field covers approximately the last 500 years. In some cases, the boundary between "prehistoric" and historic archaeologies are blurring, brought on by the recognition that Europeans did not bring history to the worlds that were completely new to them: written language and especially printing, yes, but not history. Historical change is a constant for all societies, and indigenous people have borne the brunt of an 18th-century Enlightenment perspective that branded cultural change in Native populations as the equivalent of cultural disintegration.
